Type aligning apparatus



Dec. 11, 1934.

E. W. HEWITT TYPE ALIGNING APPARATUS I Filed Dec. 14, 1929 J u n @W Patented Dec. 11, 1934 PATENT OFFIQE 1,983,904 TYPE ALIGNING APPARATUS Ernest W. Hewitt, Stamford, Conn,

The Western Union Telegraph Company,

assignor to New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December '14, 1929, Serial No. 414,187

5 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for facilitating the attachment of the type slugs to the type bars of writing machines, such as printing telegraph machines and more particularly to the aligning of the type slugs in position for attachment to the type bars.

In printing telegraph machines of the type known as simplex printers or tape teletype, the various characters are disposed on type bars pivoted on an arcuate shaft and striking downward onto a paper tape as it is drawn over a narrow platen. The type slugs are soldered to the type bars, as is usual in typewriter construction, and each type bar ordinarily has both uper and lower case characters thereon. The type slugs, at times, become loosened and must be resoldered and from time to time changes are made in the characters on a particular type bar so that it becomes necessary to replace certain of the slugs.

Heretofore, whenever it was necessary to solder a type slug to a type bar, the judgment of the repairman was depended upon, mainly, in

locating the type slug relative to the type bar.

After the soldering was completed, the type bar was operated to test the position of the new type, by means of the impression obtained, and if the characters were too far out of alignment the slug was resoldered in a new position. Such procedure was slow and inaccurate and where a number of changes had to be made in the characters, the printing of the machine was often uneven and unsightly.

One of the objects of the present invention is to produce a device for facilitating the soldering of the type slugs to the type bars of such a machine, which will enable the type slugs to be definitely located in the proper printing position and held in such position during the soldering operation.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In accordance with my invention I provide a type aligning attachment, which may be applied to the frame or other fixed part of the machine, in a definite position relative to the printing position of type, the attachment being provided with a vise for holding the type slugs in a fixed position during the soldering operation. The vise is adjustable both transversely and longitudinally so as to bring it into a position for holding the slugs to be soldered in their normal printing position.

In order that a full understanding of the invention may be had reference will be made to the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective View of a printing machine showing my invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the soldering attachment;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view through the vise and crosswise adjusting block; and

Figure 4 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the attachment.

Referring to Figure 1, I have shown a portion of a printing machine having a group of type bars 11 mounted on an arcuate shaft 12 and striking downward onto a platen, not shown, in the position occupied by the type bar 13. The platen which has been removed from the machine, as shown in Figure 1, comprises a narrow roller mounted on a horizontal shaft which bears in an opening 14 in a bracket 15 secured to the base plate 16. The opposite end of the platen shaft rotates in a bearing bracket which is secured to the base plate by bolts passing through openings 1'7 in the base plate 16.

When it is desired to resolder any of the type slugs, the platen, its carriage and associated parts are removed from the machine and the type soldering attachment, forming the subject matter of the present invention, is secured thereto. The platen, its carriage and associated parts form a unit construction which is detachable as a unit from the machine, by removing the screws provided in the openings 17.

The type soldering attachment comprises a vertical bracket 18 having at its base a horizontal lug 19 by which it is secured to the base plate, by means of the screws 20. As stated, the screws 20 engage in the openings 17 by which the platen is attached to the base plate, so that the bracket is located in definite relation to the normal position of the platen. At its upper end the bracket 18 has a rectangular slideway 21 through which extends a rectangular adjusting rod 22, movable forwardly and rearwardly of the machine, in a direction transverse to the normal printing position of the tape. The adjusting rod 22 may be locked in any adjusted position by a thumb screw 23 hearing against a shoe 24 disposed in the slideway.

A crosswise adjusting device is mounted upon the adjusting rod 22 and comprises a rectangular frame 25 having a rectangular opening 26 therein for enabling the frame to be moved transversely of the rod. The lower side 27 of the block engages in a cross groove 28 in the adjusting rod to retain the block against movement longitudinally of the rod and to guide it in its transverse movement. The block is held in an adjusted position by a thumb screw 29 hearing against a shoe 30.

Secured to the top of the block is a vise 31 having a fixed jaw 32 and a movable jaw 33, the latter being mounted upon a thumb screw 34 threadedin the, stationary jaw. The stationary jaw has a type locating block 35 attached to the inner side thereof or formed integrally therewith. The upper face of the locating block terminates below the top of the jaw and has a type aligning ridge 36 on its upper surface. An arm 37 is pivoted at 38 to the frame and is movable from a position at one side of the-jaw 32 to a position between the two jaws ofthe vice. locating type slugs provided only with lower case characters, as will more clearly appear-- hereinafter.

The adjusting rod 22 has a cylindrical extention 39 at the end opposite from the bracket 18 which slides in the platen shaft bearing opening 14 in the bracket 15. The bracket 18 is of such height as to locate the adjusting rod'22 substantially on the axis of'the platen shaft and the vise 31 extends above the rod to such a height as to position the upper side of the locating block on the level of the printingv position of the platen.

In using the attachment, the. vise 31' is first located in the correct transverse and3longitudinal position by means of one of the type bars which is known to be in proper. alignment. Ordinarily the, type bar: carrying the letter N is employed, due to its centrali position but any other correctly aligned bar. may be employed; The vise is openedandthe type bar is brought down against the. face of Jthe vise and the adjusting frame 25" is moved'crosswise until the left handside of the type slug is in alignment with the fixed jaw 32'of "the vise, in which position the adjusting block is lockedby the thumb screw 29. The adjusting rod 22 is then slid either forward or backward while holding the type bar with a slight downward pressure until the aligning ridge 36' of the locating block 35' is positioned between the upper and lower case letters with the lower edge of the lower case character against one end'ofthe ridge. If the vise is properly located thereshould be no. pressure of the type slug against either side ofthe vise during this adjustment.

After the locating block has been thus ad: justed in the striking position of the type, the bar is returned to its unoperated; position and the new type slug to be applied, is clamped in the vise with the aligning, ridge located, between the upper and lower case characters, with the lower edge of the lower casecharacter abutting there against, If. no character is provided on the type slug in the uppgr case-position, the arm 37 is rotated into position in front of the vise. The arm .37 extends above. the face of the locating block 35 a distance equal to the relief. depth of the character and maintains the type slug. in the proper horizontal position. The type bar to which the type slug is to be soldered, is

. brought down onto the top of the slug. and the slug is heated until the type bar can, be pushed to the bottom of thesolder tinnedgroove 40 in the back of the slug.

The purpose of the arm 37 is'to assistin After the vise and the adjusting block have been adjusted for a particular machine a number of type slugs may be resoldered without changing this adjustment and the slugs will be accurately and readily aligned on the type bars.

What I claim is:

l. A type aligning device for a type bar printing machine in which type bars strike down- Wardly into a substantially horizontal plane, said device comprising a bracket attachable to said machine in a definite position relative to the striking position of said type bars, said bracket having a guideway therein, a bar extending through said guideway and adjustable lengthwise of itself therein, a frame mounted on said bar and adjustable transversely thereof and a type slug supporting vise carried by said frame.

2. A type aligning device for a type bar printing machine in which the type bars strike downwardly' into a substantially horizontal plane, saiddevice comprising a bracket attachable to saidmachine in a. definite position relative to the striking. position ,ofsaid type bars, said bracket having a. guideway therein, a bar extending through saidguideway and adjustable lengthwise of itself therein, means for locking said bar in an, adjusted position, a frame mounted on said bar so. as to be adjustable transversely thereof, means for. locking said frame in adjustedposition, a type slug locating member carried by saidframe, andfa vise mounted on said frame adjacent. to thelocating member for holding. a

type, slug in a, definite position relative to. said locating member.

3. Atype aligning device for a type bar printing machine of the class in which the type bars strike downwardly into. a.-.substantia1ly horizontal'plane, said device comprising a. bracket. at.-

tachable to said machine. avise for. holding. a,

type slug in said horizontal plane, vise supporting means mounted on said bracket including means whereby said, visemay be shiftedirrdie rections. at right angles to each other in said horizontal plane. for adjusting the same. and

means for seouringsaidi'vise in a fixed adjusted.

position. 7

4'. Altype aligning device comprising a bracket attachable to a type bar printing. machine, a type slug locatingmember carried by said brackst and adjustable to bring the same into the striking position ofsaid type bars, and a vise for holding the type slug in a fixed relation to said locating member also carried by bracket having one jaw secured in fixed relation to said: locating memberwhereby' said slug is scured in contact with said member in a definite position-relative thereto.

5. A'type aligning device attachable to a type bar printing machine in which the type slugs normally have both upper and lower case char acters thereon, said device comprising a ty e slugi locating .zmember and .means for supporting said member, said means being adjustable for bringing-saidmember into the striking position of said. typebar, and means adapted to be brought into operative relation to said locating member to engage-one end of a type slug having no upper case character thereon and hold the same in proper striking position.

ERNEST WV. HEVJITT. 

